Is it really October 24 and I'm just now telling you about my month of October and the motherhood challenge that I set up for this month back in January?  Where has this month gone?  For real I don't even remember October 11.  What the heck happened?  Last month I challenged myself to make a healthy breakfast and lunch for my kids each day and for October I challenged myself to do new stuff with the kids around Austin.  Thank goodness for Fall Break, because between traveling, ACL, and my mom having a heart attack I'm not sure this month would have happened.

I'm pretty certain that this idea was inspired by a bog I read a few years ago that had a post titled:  99 things to do in Austin before kindergarten.  The desire of the author was to list lots of things in Austin to do with kids and it inspired me to do more things in my favorite town with my kids!  Honestly I've never lived anywhere that has so many family and kid activities as Austin does.  This place is great to get out and about with your family.

Here are a few things we've done this month around town:

#1 – Bob Bullock Museum

This is something that has been on my calendar the entire year and this month we finally visited.  The first Saturday of every month it is free to go to the museum, so that's when I like to go.  I mean how long can you really expect kids to enjoy a museum.  That's why free is best.  I'm out nothing if Story loses her mind and throws a fit and we leave, or my boys start playing ninja around the displays and we have to leave.

I texted a lot of girl friends to see if any of them wanted to meet and all of them but one were very smart.  They all said No.  You know why this was smart?  Because I lost my mind for a few hours and forgot that UT was playing a home football game and this museum is right next to the field.  I LOST MY MIND.  That trip there was the longest 5.3 miles of my entire life.  My kids saw lots of tailgating and I was split seconds away from pulling over, having a drink and carrying on with my business.  We finally made it and it was great to hang out with Casey and her son!

The cutest thing about the museum was that in one of the areas they are showcasing music.  There was a display there asking for your favorite Texas artist and here's what my great kids came up with!

#2 Mt Bonnel

Since we've lived here I've wanted to go to Mt Bonel and never have.  I told my kids we were going to climb a mountain.  Ha!  I was hoping this would seem like a mountain to them, even though it's just a really big hill right here in Austin.  The coolest thing about this was that my kids literally ran and ran through the brush over and over again playing tag and having the time of their lives.  Story found a dirt pile and she was good to go.  You could see downtown and we had a great picnic.  It was another fun adventure around Austin with friends!

#3 Sweet Berry Farms

This is not technically in Austin, but still close enough that it qualifies and my kids enjoyed it over Fall Break!  It's a little over an hour away and free to get in.  I gave the kids each some money and they played some games and each got a pumpkin.  I took it upon myself to try and get some good pictures of the kids while we were with the pumpkins.  Note to self.  If you are putting your kids around pumpkins to take pictures don't put them in orange.  I'm just saying, not the best.

How cool is this gigantic jumpy trampoline?  The kids loved this and since it had rained a bit they were super gross when they got off, but jumping off all that energy is a good thing!

On the way home we ate at Blue Bonnet Cafe.  That was three ladies with our 9 kids.  Someone in there asked if we were with a day care.  Nope just all of our kids!

Then that night my mom had a heart attack and since then I haven't done one thing “new” around Austin with my kids.  I did take Cayden to ACL and I think that should count for something!  I hope to hit two more new things in Austin before the month is over.

What do you love to do in your city?  What's the last fun thing you did in your city with your kids?  I think you should try to find something new in your city and enjoy it with your kids!  Leave a comment HERE telling me what you've done lately around your town with your kids!

 

Jamie Ivey